Trinity set to deliver two Springboard+ postgrad certificate courses for HEA

Posted on: 13 June 2017

Trinity’s Innovation Academy has been awarded funding by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to run two Springboard+ postgraduate certificate courses this autumn.

The two courses, a Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Thinking, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship and a Postgraduate Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Returners), are part of an HEA initiative to support non-traditional cohorts such as ‘homemakers’ to go back to work.

Dr. Dan Rogers, Ruth Kearney, Louise Andrews and Ross Brennan.

Business Development Manager at the Innovation Academy Ruth Kearney said, “The great thing about these programmes is the willingness of industry to get involved. We have support from major recruitment companies including CPL and CareerZoo as well as the global movement 30% Club, Journey Partners and several of the major banks. This is only the beginning, we plan on getting a lot more industry involved and really matching re-skilling with employment.”

The courses are run on a part-time basis over the course of 18 weeks and are due to commence in late September this year.

This level 9 qualification offers a combination of transferrable skills involving building confidence and overcoming psychological barriers to returning to work in addition to entrepreneurial skills of setting up your own business, finance, IP, innovation and creative thinking.

Participants will interact with an extensive team of entrepreneurs, business leaders, and industry mentors in an informal learning environment

Springboard+ is an upskilling initiative offering free higher education courses at certificate, degree and masters levels for those who are unemployed, returning to work, or those who are employed who want to update their skills.

Springboard+ is co-founded by the Irish government and the European Social Fund as part of the ESF programme for employability, inclusion, and learning.

The programme is also supported by TCD Launchbox, giving participants an opportunity to get on the award winning accelerator programme and drive their start-ups forward. 

Applications for both courses are open until the 31st August, to apply please visit: https://www.springboardcourses.ie/results?keywords=&providers%5B%5D=48

What the 2016 participants had to say: 

Brian Cooke of Officeworkerhealth.com – "I can't speak highly enough of the Springboard post graduate certificate I completed in Entrepreneurship at Trinity College. Thanks to the quality content of the lectures, the practical nature of the workshops and the confidence building pitching sessions, I have developed an exciting network of contacts and friends with a shared passion for innovation, creative thinking and entrepreneurship.

“Thanks to ideas nurtured during the course I was shortlisted for Launchbox (the Trinity accelerator). I have also been selected for interview for New Frontiers from Enterprise Ireland and have kicked off the process of launching my business with my Local Enterprise Office and the Dublin Commissioner for Start-ups. If you are passionate about starting a business then this course is for you.”.

Jennifer Warren – "Completing this course, introduced me to the world of business and numerous people with an array of different backgrounds to learn from. While explicitly I was learning vast amounts though the lessons and class projects about intellectual property, finance, team work, creative thinking, etc. without realising it I was implicitly learning a multitude from my peers and friends on the course too. I cannot recommend this course enough, regardless of your goals, motivations or where life decides to take you, this course will not only aid that but act as the catalyst to help bring your ambitions to fruition.”